Agenda item

Prior to Council’s consideration of the report, the Chair of Council, Councillor Ian Pearson, reminded Members of the legal requirement to include in the minutes, details of how each Elected Member had voted on decisions relating to the budget and level of Council Tax.  Therefore, items 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, would all be subject to a recorded vote and voting preferences would be documented in the minutes of this meeting.

Subsequently, the Council considered a report which was presented by the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, which outlined the Capital Strategy and Capital Programme Budget proposals for the next four years, 2023/24 to 2026/27.

The Mayor stated that the Council continued to invest in the future of the Borough despite the tough economic climate with £493m of capital investment planned over the next four years, which would continue to stimulate growth and prosperity, with £195m of investment planned for 2023/24.  The Council was investing in projects to further improve core services such as education, housing, infrastructure, leisure and culture, as well as attracting investors and visitors to the Borough.  This included £220.6m investment in the Council’s social housing stock over the next four years, covering maintenance, adaptions and the new build programme, and £11.5m being invested over the next four years on flood alleviation measures to provide greater protection to 738 residential properties which suffered from internal flooding during the November 2019 flood.

Members noted that in respect of Council housing, across the 4 year programme, £32.5m had been allocated to acquire more Council house properties which would accelerate the delivery of 232 homes at a time when need was greatest, and the homelessness system needed a much needed boost in order to alleviate some of the current cost of living challenges facing residents.  In addition, £22.7m over the four year programme, would be spent on investment in energy efficiency works across the housing stock, to reduce energy consumption and respond to climate change.

It was reported that the Council would continue to invest in its Leisure Centres, with the Dome and Thorne in line for key improvements this year.  In respect of Edlington Leisure Centre, following the lack of Government funding through the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) Round 2, the Council hoped to resubmit for LUF3, but at this stage, it did not know when this would be announced or the criteria.

The Capital Budget also included £46.2m investment in the Towns Fund Programme which included £20.6m for works in Stainforth, including the restoration and lighting of the colliery headstocks, a new community hub and improved station access being among a number of planned projects in the area, and Doncaster City Centre would benefit from £25.6m of investment in the Station Gateway improvements.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 21.4, a recorded vote was taken on the recommendations contained within the report, which was declared as follows:-

For - 37

The Chair of Council, Councillor Ian Pearson, the Vice-Chair of Council, Councillor Duncan Anderson, the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones, and Councillors Bob Anderson, Iris Beech, Rachael Blake, James Church, Gemma Cobby, Phil Cole, Linda Curran, Amiee Dickson, Susan Durant, Sue Farmer, Sean Gibbons, Julie Grace, John Healy, Leanne Hempshall, Charlie Hogarth, Mark Houlbrook, Barry Johnson, Jake Kearsley, Jane Kidd, Majid Khan, Sue Knowles, Tracy Moran, John Mounsey, Emma Muddiman-Rawlings, Tim Needham, David Nevett, Jane Nightingale, Rob Reid, Andrea Robinson, Dave Shaw, Glynis Smith, Sarah Smith and Austen White.

Against - 0

Abstain – 7

Councillors Laura Bluff, Nigel Cannings, Jane Cox, Steve Cox, Martin Greenhalgh, Thomas Noon and Gary Stapleton.

On being put to the meeting, the recommendations contained within the report were declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED that

(1)      the Capital Strategy, as detailed within paragraphs 34 to 74 of the report, be approved;

(2)      the Capital Programme for 2023/24 to 2026/27, as detailed within paragraphs 12 to 33 of the report, be approved; and

(3)       Directors, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, take responsibility for allocating the block budgets to specific schemes in the Capital Programme, which were identified within Appendix 1, and included the Retained Buildings Programme, School Condition Programme and Integrated Transport Block.